Near misses continue to frustrate Duquesne

Dayton's Dyshawn Pierre grabs a loose ball against Duquesne's Micah Mason in the first half Saturday at Consol Energy Center.

By Stephen J. Nesbitt / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Some losses sting more than others.

Duquesne played 10 games in the past month and lost seven. Four of those games were tied in the final 90 seconds, but only once did the Dukes come away victorious -- and that lone victory was only salvaged by a miracle 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Saturday, Duquesne led Dayton for the first 37 minutes at Consol Energy Center. The Dukes shot 51 percent in the first half and led by 14 points at halftime before folding down the stretch. They hit just 4 of 27 second-half shot attempts, and the Flyers crept back for a 57-54 win.

"Every loss hurts, but the close ones are like throwing salt on a wound," senior forward Ovie Soko said. "We just haven't figured out a way to make those last plays to close games out."

Soko had a chance to tie the score with 17 seconds left, but his second free-throw attempt bounced off the rim and led to an easy, game-sealing dunk on the other end.

Soko's missed shot -- a rare blemish on his 26-point game -- was just the latest in a series of missed opportunities that have cost Duquesne late in close games.

These plays can't really be classified as "blunders," because they weren't turnovers or fouls or foolish shots, but they were potential winning moments left wasted.

* Jan. 25: Duquesne 83, St. Bonaventure, 81 -- With five seconds left and Duquesne trailing by one, sophomore guard Derrick Colter missed two free throws. But he redeemed himself with a 3-point floater as time expired.

* Feb. 19: St. Bonaventure 71, Duquesne 67 -- The Dukes rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit, but trailing by two with 17 seconds left, Colter again missed both free throws.

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